Advance to the Rear (Strike Force Book 3) Read online

  “Never hurts to be careful. I’m pretty sure the guy that owns the place where you’re staying also knows the owners of the other cottage,” Slade told him. “Let me give them a call. It will only take me a few minutes.”

  “Thanks. Appreciate it.”

  “Slade’s checking,” he told Nikki as he hung up.

  He rowed slowly wile they waited. Less than three minutes later, his phone rang.

  “Here’s what I’ve got,” Slade told hm. “The Hustons, who own the place where those guys are staying, assured me it’s all good. The word is some relatives of a good friend of theirs managed to smuggle them out of their village in the Middle East then into this country. He asked if they could hang out at the cottage for couple of weeks while they find them more permanent digs.”

  “And you believe him?” Marc asked. “You’re comfortable with that explanation?”

  “You know me. I’m the world’s biggest cynic, but at the moment I have no reason not to trust this guy. He said he had no idea anyone would be using the cottage you’re in. They were counting on the isolation, I think. Like I said, no one usually uses them this time of year.”

  Marc rubbed his jaw. “Okay, just checking. We were a little startled, is all. Also the rowboat was tied up at their dock. Did they move it?”

  “Probably. With so few cottages on the lake, people tend to share things. Why?”

  “We didn’t see anyone there when we walked along the shore so Nikki and I borrowed it. They seemed okay when we returned it. In fact, they told us to bring it back here. I just… You know me. I get these weird feelings.”

  Probably more than most people.

  “The Hustons don’t think there’s a problem,” Slade told him, “but it never hurts to be alert. Just keep an eye on things and call if you need to.”

  “Will do.”

  “On the other hand, if you guys have changed your minds about staying there, I’ll understand. I know you wanted privacy.”

  “Let’s see how it goes. Thanks for checking and I’ll let you know.”

  “One more thing. Keep this to yourself. That rumor we were chasing in Agadez about Mexico and a Texas target?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Well, it’s still floating around. If it gets legs, we may have to cut this leave short.”

  Marc wanted to ask if there wasn’t another team they could send, but he knew better than that. It had showed up on their list first, so they were it.

  “Okay. Let’s hope.”

  He disconnected and repeated everything to Nikki, except the part about their leave possibly being cut short. “So, what do you think?”

  “Like you told Slade, let’s see how it goes. We read and see all the time about people fleeing for their lives. I’m sure it takes them a long time if and when they get here to stop looking over their shoulders. Let’s give it until tomorrow, at least.”

  “Okay.” Marc nodded. “Sounds good.”

  A few minutes later they had pulled into the dock at their cottage. Marc leaped out first, tied the boat to a post and helped Nikki out to the dock. In seconds they were inside, and he reached out, pulling her body close to his. God, she was firm and soft at the same time, supple, molding herself to him. And just like that he tucked the question of their neighbors into the back of his mind. The softness of her breasts against his chest was so erotic his cock immediately sprang to life with a painful erection. He wondered if one week alone with Nikki would be enough to take the edge off his need. His desire. He wanted to wrap himself around her and stay that way forever.

  She slid her palms up his chest wall and wrapped her arms around his neck as he cupped the cheeks of her ass and squeezed them. Now that he’d had a taste of her, he couldn’t seem to get enough. This was different from what he’d felt for his ex-wife. That had been almost like a drug, invading his system. This had a solid feeling to it, filled with emotions he’d never experienced before.

  He dipped his head and pressed his mouth to hers, loving the softness of her lips, the sweet taste of her lips, the erotic glide of her tongue over his. He sucked it hard, gently scraping the surface with his teeth, the sexy little moans drifting from her mouth making his blood pump faster.

  Still cupping her ass, he lifted her so she had to wrap her legs around his waist to steady herself, and carried her over to the bed. Instead of placing her on her feet, he tumbled them both to the mattress, taking a moment to divest them both of their shoes. Taking her mouth again in a hungry kiss, he popped the button on her shorts and slide down the zipper. He pushed both them and her panties to the middle of her thighs and slipped his hands between her legs, finding the slickness of her wet heat.

  And oh, god, she was most definitely wet. And hot. He barely rubbed his finger over her clit before she moaned into his mouth. His fingers slid easily into her sex, stretching her slick walls, slippery with her hot liquid. With her shorts and panties preventing her from spreading open her legs, the pressure of his fingers increased and enhanced the rhythmic in and out glide.

  Even as she clenched her thighs around his wrist and nibbled at his tongue, she reached down and found the snap on his jeans. He groaned as she slid the zipper down, easing it gently over the hard thickness of his cock. As it sprang free, she wrapped her slim fingers around it and squeezed. Marc thought his eyeballs would pop out.

  He broke the kiss, panting.

  “Easy, sugar. He is so ready to come out and play. I don’t want it to be over before it hardly starts.”

  “He’s always ready,” she teased, but the look in her eyes was way beyond teasing.

  “It’s what you do to me, Nikki. Every damn time. Do you have a magic wand?”

  She looked at him and actually giggled. “No, I think you’re the one with the magic wand, right?”

  He locked his gaze with hers. “Damn straight.”

  He eased his hand from between her thighs and slid it up toward her neck, taking her T-shirt with him. At her breasts he took a moment to mold his fingers around first one mound, then the other before pushing her bra up and away.

  Nikki tugged on his T-shirt. “Fair is fair.” Her voice was husky. “Take it off. Now.”

  He grinned. “Yes, ma’am. Happy to oblige.”

  He shifted enough that he could yank the shirt off over his head and toss it to the floor. When she scraped her fingernails over his hard nipples, he felt it clear to his balls. He pinched her dusky rose pebbled tips, tugging them then bending his head to take a little nip at each one. At the same time, he never stopped stroking his fingers in and out of her very wet heat, teasing her clit over and over with his thumb.

  Her pulse beat at the hollow of her neck and the glaze of passion in her eyes. She arched into him, pushing against his fingers and riding them. He felt the flutter in her inner walls, the tightening and clamping down. Her breathing became more erratic. All signs that she was close.

  He took one nipple into his mouth and bit down on it and she came like a maniac, screaming and riding his hand like a bucking mare. He loved the fact that she had finally let go of her reserve with him, that she threw off all her restraint and let the orgasm overtake her. He didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more beautiful, except when she came with his cock inside her.

  She was still trembling with aftershocks, mini-convulsions, when he grabbed a condom from the nightstand where he’d stashed the box and rolled it on. Sliding his hands beneath the cheeks of her ass, he lifted her to him, placed the tip of his shaft at her opening and in one thrust was inside her.

  Holy fucking shit!

  From the very first time he was inside her, he’d had this incredible feeling, almost magical, as if together they were one person. He’d never had that with anyone before and after the disaster of his marriage had never expected it. But with Nikki, he had this connection, as if he’d been searching for home and had finally found it. Her hot flesh gripped his shaft, squeezing it, the little residual tremors from her orgasm rippling against his length.
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  “Look at me, sweet girl.”

  She opened her eyes and the emotion there nearly undid him.

  “Keep looking at me,” he told her.

  Then he began to move, a steady rhythm, slower at first then faster, watching her for signals. Holding himself back until she began to climb the spiral again. His back muscles and balls tightened and he gritted his teeth as he watched her for the signals he now knew so well.

  Nikki wrapped her legs around him and pulled him tight to her body, intensifying every thrust and retreat. Yes! There it was! The spasms in her inner muscles that grew harder and stronger, tightening around his cock. He didn’t even have to ask. He knew when she was ready. He drove in hard, once, twice, and they exploded together, gripped by the intensity of the orgasm.

  Marc held her in his arms, bodies locked together, while the tremors faded, the spasms subsided and he emptied himself into her welcoming heat. He held her in his grasp for a long time, feeling the beat of her heart against his chest and the soft breeze of her breath against his skin. Then he eased himself from her, went to dispose of the condom and sat beside her on the bed. He stroked her cheek with his fingers, loving the feel of her.

  “I never thought I’d find this,” he said at last. “Tell me I’m not dreaming.”

  She smiled, and it went right to the center of him. “If you are, I’m right there with you.”

  He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. “Did I wear you out, or are you good to go for a swim?”

  “I think the water will do us both good.” She grabbed his hand and pulled herself to a sitting position. “Too bad we can’t go skinny dipping.”

  “We can use our imaginations.” He winked, and as she slid off the bed he smacked her naked ass. “I know mine’s already at full throttle.”

  Chapter Five

  Jamal stood at the window looking out at the lake, blue water unbroken by anyone disturbing its surface. The couple who had taken the boat out yesterday must be occupied with other things, because he had not seen them since then. He was edgy and irritable, two things that he couldn’t afford because they wrecked his concentration. He also needed to remain calm for the others on his team. It was up to him to set a good example.

  But the circumstances would try anyone’s patience. Today was their third day in this cottage or cabin or whatever they called it, and the strain was so thick as to be almost visible. Jamal could feel the threads binding them together fraying. They had a task they’d committed to in the name of Allah and there would be great retribution if they failed. The fire that burned within them all to complete this mission was scorching them inside and out, adding to the high level of tension gripping them.

  Each day at noon they called the number programmed into the phone as instructed, but all they’d gotten was a disembodied voice telling them to stay put. That new plans were being devised.

  Stay put?

  New plans are being devised?

  What plans?

  And what about our assignment? This was time-specific, with no wiggle room. They could not even complete the first part because they had no supplies here, and no way to get them. How has this happened? Contingencies were supposed to be provided for, yet the four of them had just been dropped off like damaged merchandise.

  They might all die out here, especially Malik. The bullet wound in his leg needed more attention than they could give it. All they had were the rudimentary supplies their driver had picked up for them at the convenience store. That in no way replaced real medical care. But of course, it wasn’t as if they could march into an emergency room or even a walk-in clinic and get their wounded man treated.

  And just where in the hell was this cottage located, anyway? He had no idea how far they were from San Antonio. Close enough to get the local television stations, but that could mean anything. There was a satellite dish on the roof so it could be anywhere up to two hundred miles. The little crossroads that masqueraded as a town offered nothing except the convenience store and gas station, and a restaurant that apparently catered to people traveling in the area. But they couldn’t set foot in either of them, even if they had transportation. He was pretty damn sure they’d stick out like sore thumbs.

  They were stuck inside since the couple had moved in down the path yesterday. They didn’t want to expose themselves to strangers and prick someone’s curiosity, no matter how innocuous they seemed, so they hid in the cottage.

  This is just fucked. There was no other word for it.

  Malik had been restless for the past several hours, falling in and out of consciousness. Farid cleaned his wound frequently as best he could. Now he gave his friend four acetaminophen at a time, but it wasn’t doing more than taking the edge off the pain. It was clear that more than stopgap measures were needed.

  “I cleaned the wound and put more antibiotic ointment on it.” Farid had come up to stand beside him. “I also changed the bandage wrapped around it, but that’s like trying to stop a river with a teacup. He is getting worse.” He shook his head. “He is very hot, too. Jamal, we cannot go on this way. If we do not get the bullet out soon, massive infection could set in.”

  As if to underscore the point, a low moan rumbled from Malik’s throat again, from the other room where the man was lying in bed.

  Jamal nodded, silently agreeing with him. It was a desperate situation. They had not left the cabin since their arrival, when they’d been unceremoniously dumped here. So what if they had plenty of food and water? They were in an unacceptable situation. They had a mission that was temporarily derailed through no fault of their own and it had to get back on track. Malik had certainly not intended to get shot. It was just damn bad luck. But they had been assured their contacts here would handle whatever came up. That was proving to be a lie.

  These men here looked to him for solutions, so he’d better find one in a hurry. He was, after all, the one who had talked them all into this and the acknowledged leader of their little group. If one of them died of neglect, it would seriously damage his leadership. He turned back into the room, considering whether he should have yet another cup of coffee.

  Kasim pointed to the cell phone sitting on a table beside the couch. “You should call that number again. Now. Tell them that we cannot go on like this. And the date for the event is almost upon us.”

  “You think we should disobey the order?” Jamal scowled at him, although he’d been thinking the same thing himself.

  “I think we are in a fucking mess.” Farid slammed his hand on the small kitchen table. “That’s what I think. And the situation has changed, so orders be damned. We’re stranded out here with my brother who is badly wounded and no way to help him. No way to get anywhere, dumped like a load of trash. We spent weeks training in that camp in Mexico, learning what we had to do, getting our instructions drilled into us. Despite what the contact here said, if we don’t get this job done, we might as well find some hole to hide in. It’s your responsibility, Jamal. Step up to it.”

  The others looked at him, then toward the bedroom where Malik lay, still moaning. No one wanted to abandon him. The four of them shared a bond that none wanted to break.

  “I say we call the number on the phone now,” Kasim ventured. “If we can’t get any help from that source, we will have to make another plan.”

  “Exactly what kind of plan?” Jamal snapped. “Are you thinking you can do better than me?”

  “No, no, no.” Farid held up his hands and looked from one to the other. “It will do us no good at all to fight among ourselves. We must figure out how to get medical attention for Malik and create an alternate plan to help us carry out our assignment.”

  Kasim cleared his throat. “That couple that took out the boat. The woman is a nurse. It said so on the stupid shirt she wore. Perhaps she could help us.”

  Jamal glared at him. “And exactly how do you propose we do that? Knock on their door and say we have a friend with a bullet in his leg? Can you fix it? Are you insane?”

 
; Kasim spread his hands. “But I—”

  “First, they would be obliged to call the police at once. Second, I don’t like the looks of that man. I have seen it in many American military. He would kill us without blinking. Of course, then Malik dying and the rest of us being eliminated would not matter a bit.”

  Thick silence fell like a shroud over them. Then Malik moaned again.

  “Jamal, we have to do something,” Farid insisted. “We must make a plan how to accomplish this. It can be done.”

  The three uninjured men looked at each other. At last Jamal nodded. They were running out of options.

  “If it is so, then let us be sure our that plan is good and tight. We cannot afford any more disasters. I think I might have an idea but we will have to be very smart and very cautious.”

  * * * *

  They had spent a very lazy day doing very little. The situation was perfect, Marc thought, for exactly that. They’d had breakfast late, then gone for a long walk around the other side of the lake where they found the other two cottages closed up as Slade had said. In the afternoon they’d indulged in what he called lazy, erotic sex, then taken a nap. The sun was already beginning to set by the time they decided they were hungry enough to eat again.

  “Why don’t we just order in,” Marc suggested. “I’ll bet I can find at least one place around here that delivers. I don’t want you to have to cook.”

  “We brought enough food for a month,” she teased. “And it’s nice having someone to cook for. Why don’t you crack open a beer and hang out on the porch while I get things going here?”

  “Yeah? You sure that’s all I need to do?”

  He slid his fingers into the silky strands of her hair, tilted her head back and pressed his mouth to hers. Her lips were so soft and tasted faintly of the iced tea she’d been drinking. He drew the tip of his tongue across them in a gentle lick before tracing the seam and urging her to open. The inside tasted even more delicious, but then he was pretty sure he could say that about every part of her body.